1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data storage technology, and more particularly, to a data storage array linking operation switching control system which is designed for use in conjunction with an array-type data storage device, such as an array of FC HDD (Fibre Channel Hard Disk Drive) units or a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) device, that is associated with at least two data access channels, with the capability of selectively switching the linking between the data storage units and the data access channels for the purpose of providing various linking modes of different utilization objectives, including a backup linking mode, a partitioned linking mode, and a high-performance linking mode.
2. Description of Related Art
Network servers typically are installed to handle a very great amount of data that flow through the network system. For this reason, a network server is typically equipped with high-capacity data storage devices, such as an array of FC HDD (Fibre Channel Hard Disk Drive) units, a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) device, or the like, so as to be capable of storing the vast amount of data that are to be served or stored through the network system. In such an array-type data storage device, each of the individual data storage unit is capable of independent operation for data access, and each is capable of being accessed via two or more data access channels.
In the application of the above-mentioned array-type data storage device, it is usually required to be capable of providing a backup capability that allows any failed data storage unit to be promptly replaced by another good and operable data storage unit, or any failed data access channel to be replaced by another data access channel, so as to allow the array-type data storage device to be always accessible by the network server all the time.